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I fell in love with the colour of some yarn, looking longingly at it week after week in Parlour yarns. I lifted it down to enjoy it more closely… the feel of the yarn told me it was just created to keep my neck warm in the winter.

It was randomly hand dyed by Lindsay from Dye Candy in Randalstown, County Antrim. The jade green really sold it to me. I have not kept the ball band, and for the life of me cannot remember the details of weight, colour and needle size. I suppose it might be because I am not necessarily a strict pattern follower. I break the rules, changing the needle size to suit my mood and stitch pattern that invades my mind at any particular time.

One skein was enough to complete the scarf in ladder stitch, working crosswise.

Ladder stitch scarf

Sorry that photo looks a little blurry, not sure if my hand was shaky or my eyes are tired.

Uh–oh! I spy the t-shirt that I spent a full day searching the house for last week. I have a feeling the missing pink bra might be hidden underneath it.

In the last couple of weeks I had a letter from my bank. It was not to discuss my tuppence of assets in their grip.

No it was to insure I had easy access to reduce and spend it.

A spanking brand new piece of plastic was attached to the letter, a month before the old one expired. At least this new plastic did not necessitate a page of questions about my financial health and a tour of the land!!!!

This spanking brand new piece of plastic brought me up to date with the world of swiping. Making small purchases up to the value of £30, I can swipe my card on the card reader without the effort of inserting my pin number.

Just like the new shoes or sandals bought for me as a child, I loved to walk out of the shop wearing them. I was anxious to try this spanking brand new piece of plastic.

On my next visit to the local branch of Asda, I discovered they do not have the facility for the use of Swipe cards. I discovered it was the same story in other Supermarkets – Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

Lidl does have the facility, so when I have run out of almonds for baking, or feel like a crusty roll for my lunch, I know where I’ll be swiping!

Now on the mention of food and lunch, I discovered this video recently and thought it was perfect for anyone wanting to lose those winter pounds:

My favourite seat for several weeks (while building up my energy levels) was in a comfortable armchair near the window for the light and surrounded by the largest crochet project for some time – a corner to corner shrug/blanket/Afghan. Worked in random yarns to use up all the odd skeins, half used balls and odd scraps of yarn lingering at the base of my stash.

A sample of oddments

Most of the yarn I was using had come from leftovers of garments I have made, or yarn that was gifted to me from:

Brighid, in California

Brogen, to use in memory of her late mother Emma Sharma Hayes

Ello in Dublin.

Margaret, my now late friend who gifted me some of her stash when it became too difficult to knit.

C2C Blanket – Day 1

So not alone was I reducing the yarn stash, I was actually creating a Memory Blanket that each time I looked at it or spread it across my knees, I re-lived the making or wearing of an item I had made with a particular yarn.

The people listed above were almost in the room with me as I added their colours and textures to my work.

The original idea was to leave it in the car for emergency use, but the colours were bright & cosy and I felt I wanted to see it on a daily basis. It is large enough to cover the surface of my double bed. But it lives on the couch so I can snuggle under it for a rest, or pull it over my knees and feet to keep my extremities warn as I work on the next new project.

I do have enough for another C2C and will make one for the car in the autumn.

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My Memory Blanket surrounds me with warm hugs from all the friends who gifted me their yarn, each time I use it.

After my very enjoyable morning at Parlour Yarns, I drove the short distance to Craftwoman Fabrics at Kilroot, Carrickfergus.

Elly had contacted me from Israel to ask if I could watch out for something she needed and it was also a nudge for me to bring my sewing box down on my next visit. I found what she needed with no bother and then came across this little beauty:

Thread & yarn cutter

Ideal for travelling especially by air the flower has a rotary blade between the petals. I tried it on sewing thread, crochet cotton and a thick yarn. It cut cleanly on all three. A small needle threader slides out of the handle and the lanyard is detachable. I can see myself using this for many years to come.

In Work for today on 7th January, I was telling you about applying for my driving licence.

Move forward to 11th May and the following conversation took place:

After several attempts to try and get through to DVA in Coleraine, I finally managed to do so at 11:30. The long route of listening and clicking through a million options, brought me to a recorded voice advising me that I was number nine in the answering queue.

I was not moving. I held on listening to some gentle music and eventually spoke to a young lady.

I had of course to prove who I was etc., And having related the whole tired story, she put me on hold to contact the Post Room to check if they had record of receiving my money. Yes they did. (£30 I paid on 21st April).

Next she put me on hold while she went to check progress with the Medical department…

Back she came to tell me: ‘On 5th May my status was changed from Stopped to current by the medical team’??? The same medical team who gave me verbal permission to drive.

So in order for the new licence to be processed it must go to Swansea, in Wales. The DVA are unable to produce the little plastic ‘credit’ sized cards that include a photograph, in Northern Ireland… so it would be another few days before I got it.

Twenty five minutes to learn all of that and I was still a lady-in-waiting.

Another few days she said. It has been one hell of a long few days since 19-01-16.

And finally…

On 16th May my letterbox rattled and Lo and Behold My brand spanking new driving licence landed in my hall!

One whole week later I finally manage to share my delight with you. This new licence is for three years and at least the next one will be free.

I found this finished list lurking in my ‘items to post’ folder. It must have been there at least a couple of weeks. There are several other items… begun, half finished or with just a title back there. So here we go…

The last few days I have been “grass-hoppering” – I ricochet from job to job, starting everything, finishing nothing. You can blame excitement.

I am planning a few days in London. At the moment my destination is a secret. I’ll be meeting a fella. A kinda date. I never met him before… only on the internet. I think he is real and not like Mr Moss!

Do not worry. I’ll have a chaperone. Not like in the old days… an elderly aunt or fussing mother in a little bonnet, high necked blouse with mutton leg sleeves over her whale bone stays and skirts that polish the floor never mind her button boots. All finished off with a tiny lacy hanky to wipe away her tears or hide her blushes!

No. my chaperone will be young at heart, young in body and with a sense of humour just like mine. He chose well. All will be grand.

I know I still have a few weeks to wait, but I am already planning my packing… only one small cabin bag with wheels. No trunks with mountains of outfits that will never see the light of day.

It will be a case of one to wear, one to wash and one for spare with the undies.* I am praying the weather will be kind and not saturatingly soggy.

Outer layers will all be mix & match – the best idea the fashion industry ever came up with.

No skirts. It will be trousers all the way, I have no intention of advertising my pallid flesh, knock-knees, corns, bunions and more blue veins that a Stilton cheese!

And when the clothing is sorted I’ll need to deal with technology:

.

My phone

My Tablets

Tablets, yes more than one.

Then there in my latest acquisition…

I have joined the world of the pad. NO. Not TENA Lady, stop smirking toyboy techies, I mean something totally different and it works. Bigtime.

My Eye Pad.

My eye pad

Thirty seconds in the microwave and my eyes sparkle!

* The mention of travel and undies made me giggle. A sudden memory of disposable pants that were all the go when I was a young twenty year old. You wore one for a day and then dumped them, Great for holiday packing but oh so uncomfortable. They were made of the same paper type fabric as the disposable hospital gowns that are in use today.